The Hoover Dam – A Manmade Marvel among Nature’s Wonders

The Hoover Dam is a true man-made marvel! Designed by engineer John Savage and architect Gordon Kaufmann, it was built between 1931 and 1936 to span the Colorado River in the Black Canyon.

Originally called the Boulder Dam and later renamed in honor of President Herbert Hoover, this concrete phenomenon sits imposingly on the Nevada-Arizona border. It serves the functions of flood control, providing irrigation water and generating hydroelectric power.

The Hoover Dam is best known, however, as a major tourist attraction in the American Southwest and is visited by over 7 million people each year. They come to be awed by the sheer size of the dam and the incredible natural wonders close by, of which the Grand Canyon is perhaps the most astounding.

Are you planning a take a Grand Canyon tour as well? Don't worry, there are plenty of Grand Canyon tours that package together a visit to the historic Hoover Dam as well!

Many tourists appreciate the convenience of Hoover Dam tours, which usually bundle in the cost of transportation, a meal and admission. In so doing, they keep Hoover Dam tour prices within a very reasonable range.

Lake Mead

The construction of the Hoover Dam created the largest reservoir in the United States – Lake Mead. Tourists can enjoy fishing, boating, swimming and other exciting or relaxing activities at the lake, which is the first ever designated National Recreation Area.

Fascinating Lake Mead tours include a cruise out onto its beautifully shimmering blue waters. You can choose between a fun filled lunchtime Lake Mead cruise and the more enchanting dinner cruise, both of which include an amazing meal.

Either way, you will certainly not be disappointed as you tour the lake in climate controlled comfort with the choice to stroll onto the paddleboat’s promenade deck, if you wish. There you can bask in the warmth of the desert sun and swirling desert winds.

Hoover Dam Tours

Hoover Dam tours from Las Vegas begin with a scenic 40-minute drive through the desert aboard an air-conditioned modern, fully equipped sightseeing bus. Many tours offer complimentary hotel pick-up and drop-off right from the Las Vegas Strip for your convenience.

Your Hoover Dam tour schedule often includes a stop by its Visitors Center, exhibit halls, museum and movie room along with witnessing the inner workings of this magnificent hydroelectric plant.

A usual highlight of the tours is a walk out on the Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge. Make sure to have your camera ready to snap keepsake photos of the most spectacular views of the dam and the Colorado River.

Combination Lake Mead and Hoover Dam tours are very popular. You get the chance to view the dam from both the inside and out. Enjoy the equally breathtaking views from the top of the dam looking down over the immense lake and from the lake looking up at the daunting dam and canyon walls.

Other Hoover Dam tours include the adrenaline-charged experience of rafting on the Colorado River or getting to the dam on a luxury Pink Jeep tour.

Book an Exhilarating Hoover Dam Helicopter Tour

For the ultimate in adventure, book a Hoover Dam helicopter tour. The true grandeur of the Hoover Dam can only be fully appreciated from the air as you witness how this amazing structure nestles into the canyon’s cliffs.

From your aerial vantage point, you can watch the Colorado River snake through the Black Canyon and catch the dazzling display of sunlight on the surface of Lake Mead. According to Hoover Dam tour reviews, the sunset helicopter tours are perhaps the most fascinating! See the lake and dam gloriously painted in the Colorado sunset’s fiery red hues.